Radioactive waste management in France: Status of underground research laboratories sited in France Original Research Article

URL siting in France started in a first step in 1987. After a first series of investigations, field works had to be stopped in 1990. Then a new basically democratic process was developed to gain confidence from the public prior to siting. The political and administrative structure set up by the law of December 30, 1991, as well as systems for the control of field studies performed by ANDRA are presented. Following the political mission managed by Christian Bataille MP, literature and cartographic studies converged on the selection of four zones. Two zones in the east of the Paris Basin were soon gathered because of the continuity and the homogeneity of the clay formation of the Callovian–Oxfordian. A silty formation as thick as 400 m has been discovered in the Gard department. The fourth zone is granitic in the southern part of Vienne department. Soon, in 1994, geophysical investigations and drilling were started to select at least two sites for underground research laboratory construction. Administrative files for authorization of mining have to be submitted to the authority by mid-1996. They will include the results of geological investigations, programmes of experiments planned in the underground research laboratories, and danger and risk studies as well as environmental impact studies. Then, mining would start by 1998, to give access to underground facilities between 2000 and 2001 for experiments. The concept of disposal is to be developed during the process of siting, in order to take account of the specificities of each site. The geometry of the future proposed disposal depends on that of the formation and on safety requirements. Engineered barriers will also be adapted to satisfy the specific requirements of the site and to be in adequacy with the requested performance. A general report of assessment of the results and projects has to be prepared for 2006, and will be reviewed by the Commission Nationale dʹEvaluation, set up by the law of December 30, 1991.